E51 · 9 Habits That Harm Your Brain

An episode of the The Growth Kit podcast, hosted by Brian Comly, titled "E51 · 9 Habits That Harm Your Brain" was published on May 8, 2025 and runs 24 minutes.

May 8, 2025 ·24m · The Growth Kit

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Summary

One hour, I might walk into a session with a young athlete recovering from a car accident, their once lightning-fast reflexes now struggling to catch a ball. The next, I work with a middle-aged adult grappling with the fog of cognitive decline, their memories, attention, and processing speed just a fraction of what they were. Though separated by decades and causes—a jarring impact, a silent stroke, or the slow burn of Alzheimer's—both patients share a common ground: damage to their most magnificent organ, the brain. This intricate network of neurons is vulnerable not just to the brutal force of external threats like bullets or car crashes, but also to silent internal battles. Uncontrolled inflammation, restricted blood flow, and even sneaky toxins can wage war within, leaving scars on the landscape of cognition. The consequences? A variety of challenges: memory that plays hide-and-seek, thoughts struggling to keep pace, attention flitting like a butterfly, emotions surging like unpredictable waves, and the frustrating tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon where that “I’ll think of it” word simply vanishes. While this list only scratches the surface of the vast array of threats to brain health, it reflects the diverse cases I encounter. Today I’ll go through some of the most common cases for declining brain health that I see and what to do about them Listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Watch on YouTube. Read The Article: 9 Habits That Harm Your Brain Things Mentioned: Eat organic produce (use EWG's Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen as a guide). Use glass containers instead of plastic ones. Eat foods with limited or absent antibiotics, hormones, or toxins such as certified organic grass-fed and grass-finished beef, low-mercury fish, grass-fed and organic dairy, and organic pasture-raised eggs. Filter your water (my recommendation here) Prioritize natural ventilation in your home and use an air purifier. Choose non-toxic cleaning products. Seek regular sunlight exposure, aiming for at least 20-30 minutes daily. This will depend on your skin tone among other things but aim for early light for circadian rhythm and sleep benefits and midday sun for when UV rays are most potent. Consider supplementing with vitamin D, consulting your doctor for appropriate dosage based on your blood levels and individual needs. A good brand is Primal Blueprint Primal Sun (Vitamin D) (Use MINDBODYDAD for a 10% discount). Use a Light Therapy/SAD lamp when you can’t get enough sun. While regular outdoor exposure is ideal, SAD lamps, mimicking natural sunlight indoors, can be powerful tools for combatting these deficiencies and supporting brain health, particularly during darker winter months or for individuals with limited sun access. Check out this article for more specific concerns and recommendations related to 5G and EMF. Get moving. Aim for the minimum effective dose of walking. Set alarms to get up and walk around every 45 minutes, do a 10-minute sun salutation routine, or do workout snacks. Can’t get outside? Bring the movement to you with a treadmill desk or bike desk like I use. Embrace hormesis. Embrace the concept of hormesis, where controlled stress actually strengthens you. Push yourself with intense workouts, take cold plunges, experiment with saunas, or try other activities that create manageable stress. As your body adapts, you'll build resilience and mental fortitude, preparing you for any future challenge. Limit sugary drinks: Sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks, are a major source of added sugar in the diet. Replace them with carbonated water, flavored electrolyte packets or, you know, water. Connect With MindBodyDad (The Growth Kit HQ): ⁠⁠Weekly Newsletter⁠⁠ ⁠⁠www.MindBodyDad.com⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ (MindBodyDad)⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram (The Growth Kit)⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠ Affiliate Disclosure

Episode Description

This intricate network of neurons is vulnerable not just to the brutal force of external threats like bullets or car crashes, but also to silent internal battles. Uncontrolled inflammation, restricted blood flow, and even sneaky toxins can wage war within, leaving scars on the landscape of cognition. The consequences? A variety of challenges: memory that plays hide-and-seek, thoughts struggling to keep pace, attention flitting like a butterfly, emotions surging like unpredictable waves, and the frustrating tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon where that “I’ll think of it” word simply vanishes.

While this list only scratches the surface of the vast array of threats to brain health, it reflects the diverse cases I encounter. Today I’ll go through some of the most common cases for declining brain health that I see and what to do about them

Listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Watch on YouTube.

Read The Article:

9 Habits That Harm Your Brain

Things Mentioned:

Eat organic produce (use EWG's Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen as a guide).
Use glass containers instead of plastic ones.
Eat foods with limited or absent antibiotics, hormones, or toxins such as certified organic grass-fed and grass-finished beef, low-mercury fish, grass-fed and organic dairy, and organic pasture-raised eggs.
Filter your water (my recommendation here)
Prioritize natural ventilation in your home and use an air purifier.
Choose non-toxic cleaning products.
Seek regular sunlight exposure, aiming for at least 20-30 minutes daily. This will depend on your skin tone among other things but aim for early light for circadian rhythm and sleep benefits and midday sun for when UV rays are most potent.
Consider supplementing with vitamin D, consulting your doctor for appropriate dosage based on your blood levels and individual needs.
A good brand is Primal Blueprint Primal Sun (Vitamin D) (Use MINDBODYDAD for a 10% discount).
Use a Light Therapy/SAD lamp when you can’t get enough sun. While regular outdoor exposure is ideal, SAD lamps, mimicking natural sunlight indoors, can be powerful tools for combatting these deficiencies and supporting brain health, particularly during darker winter months or for individuals with limited sun access.
Check out this article for more specific concerns and recommendations related to 5G and EMF.

Get moving. Aim for the minimum effective dose of walking. Set alarms to get up and walk around every 45 minutes, do a 10-minute sun salutation routine, or do workout snacks.
Can’t get outside? Bring the movement to you with a treadmill desk or bike desk like I use.

Embrace hormesis. Embrace the concept of hormesis, where controlled stress actually strengthens you. Push yourself with intense workouts, take cold plunges, experiment with saunas, or try other activities that create manageable stress. As your body adapts, you'll build resilience and mental fortitude, preparing you for any future challenge.

Limit sugary drinks: Sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks, are a major source of added sugar in the diet. Replace them with carbonated water, flavored electrolyte packets or, you know, water.